Pig holder for use when castrating



Dec. 16, 1969 H. A. QUINT PIG HOLDER FOR USE WHEN CASTRATING R \I/ 4! mU V Q m A I1 J m W H a w i. 1

United States Patent 0 3,483,846 PIG HOLDER FOR USE WHEN CASTRA'I'FNGHoward A. Quint, RFD, Winthrop, lowa 50632 Filed Aug. 17, 1967, Ser. No.661,230 int. Cl. Atllk 29/00, 1/06 US. Cl. 119-98 10 Claims ABSTRACT 9FTHE DISCLOSURE A holder for use when castrating a pig. It comprises aportable bracket embodying an upwardly angled arm perched and detachablyheld on a top rail of a pigpen wall or fence by a U-shaped anchor. Arestraining unit is adjustably and removably bolted on the free end ofthe arm. This unit comprises a cleat-like plate linking paired fixtureseach having a thigh seating and cradling stirrup at one end and a legjoint shackling and holddown hook at the other end.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in aportable holder which can be shifted from one pen to a second pen and soon and which is such in design and construction that it enables one manto effectually and reliably suspend and restrain a pig when undertakingand completing such steps as are necessary to castrate or otherwiseoperate on a pig.

Portable suspending and restraining devices for pigpen use are old andwell known. It follows that the general objective in the instant matteris to improve upon prior art animal holding, shackling and fetteringdevices.

Briefiy. the improved device has to do with two primary component parts.namely, a hanger bracket, and a restraining unit. More specifically, thepreferred embodiment compirses a bracket unit characterized by a hangerarm having a U-shaped anchor at one end and an angularly slantingadapter at the other end, said adapter having a bolt hole therein, areadily attachable and detachable restraining unit comprising a pair ofduplicate fixtures joined by a plate having a bolt hole aligned with thebolt hole in said adapter, and a bolt passing removably through saidbolt holes and provided with an assembling and retaining nut.

Novelty is predicated on a bracket which can be and preferably isconstructed from a length of rigid strap metal and which is generallyL-shaped in edge elevation. The attachable end is provided with aninverted U-shaped anchor. The long leg slants upwardly from the anchorand has an oblique angled terminal which is provided with a bolt holeand provides an adapter for selectively attachable and detachablerestraining attachments or units.

Then, too, in order to better solve the over-all problem a novelrestraining attachment or unit is provided. This unit is unique in thatit embodies a bolt held connector plate with rigid rod fixtures weldedon opposite marginal edges. Each fixture has a thigh seating andcradling stirrup at one end and a leg shackling and holddown hook at theother end, whereby to enable one man to saddle and hook the pig in placewith a minimum of trouble and to assure himself that the hind legs ofthe pig will stay put while he is being operated on.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accom- 3,483,846 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 "ice panyingdrawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to likeparts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective on a relatively small scale showing theholder constructed in accordance with the principles of the inventionand showing how it can be attached to and anchored on a rail of a fencewall to assume a position for suspending and restraining the pig in aposition to be operated on.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective on a larger scale and wherein all of thecomponent parts are shown in readyto-use relationship.

And FIG. 3 is a view taken on the plane of the section line 33 of FIG. 2with one leg of the pig shown in phantom lines.

With reference now to the several views of the drawing and particularlywith reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 it will be noted that the aforementionedportable attachable and detachable hanger bracket is denoted by thenumeral 6. The attachable and detachable as well as adjustablerestraining attachment or unit is denoted by the numerl 8.

The bracket is preferably but not necessarily constructed from a lengthof rigid strap metal. The bracket is substantially L-shaped in edgeelevation and is characterized by a relatively long limb 10 joined by anangularly bent portion 12 to the complemental laterally directed shortlimb 14. The limb 14 in conjunction with a similar companion part 16,which is welded or otherwise sccured in place as at 18 cooperates indefining a substantially U-shaped anchor, that is, an anchor which canbe detachably but securely fastened in place atop the rail 19 of the penwall or fence 20. Assuming that the anchor is in a substantiallyvertical position when attached to the rail as suggested in FIG. 3 itwill be evident that the major portion of the arm 10 slants upwardly andterminates in an oblique angled free end portion which is heredesignated as an adapter 22. The adapter is provided with a bolt hole asat 24 to accommodate the headed shank of a bolt 28. T he screw-thrededend of the shank is denoted at 39 and is provided with a thumb nut 32.

One may consider the long arm 10 as slanting up and terminating in asuitably angled adapter 22 or, conversely, as sloping downwardly that isfrom right to left in FIG. 3 toward the U-shaped anchor.

The restraining attachment or unit 8 is made up of three componentparts; namely, a substantially square flatfaced cleat or plate 34 whichhas a bolt hole therein to accommodate the shank of the bolt and whichin practice is lined up with the bolt hole 24 in the manner shown inFIG. 3. Opposite marginal edges of this plate are provided withduplicate spaced parallel as well as coplanar one piece fixtures 36 and38. Each fixture is the same in construction and a description of onewill suffice for both. Each fixture is made from a length of appropriaterod stock whose median portion 4%) is straight and placed along side ofand welded to the coacting edge of the plate. The end toward the rightin FIG. 2 for example is fashioned into a right angularly directedarcuate bend or bent portion which provides a cradling stirrup 42. Thefree end 44 of the stirrup is flared laterally to facilitate use as willbe evident by referring to FIG. 1. The junctional bend or bent portionbetween the straight part 40 and the stirrup is bent upwardly anddirected inwardly as denoted at 46. It follows that the opposed bends orbent portions 46 of the respective fixtures are toed inwardly towardeach other to provide the desired leg spreading result. The other endportion, that is at the left of the straight portion 40 and as shown inFIG. 2, is bent up and then down to form a downwardly opening leg jointshackling and holddown hook 48. Thus the stirrup is at a level below theupstanding over-to-leg hook and experience has shown that a fixturehaving these unique features makes it feasible and easy for one man tohandle the pig, cradle or saddle the thigh portions of the legs in there spective stirrups 42 and hook the jointed portions of the legs underthe holddown hooks 48.

It is reiterated that the toed in bent portions 46 are at the properelevation and coact to hold back the loose skin of the flank portions ofthe pigs legs, give the user a better view and afford unobstructedaccess to the field of operation. It will be further noted that the twounits, the bracket 6 and restraining unit 8 are such that they providefor easy handling and portability, can be separated for easier cleaningand handling. Dilferent size restraining devices are provided in actualpractice for suspension and retention of different sized pigs. The factthat the restraining device is reversible makes it possible to arrangethe respective end portions of the fixtures so that the animal can besuspended in a manner to perform minor operations on the stomach andother areas. The face that the holddown hooks are arranged to cooperatewith the joints of the legs, rather than with a median portion of abone, minimizes the likelihood of breakage of the animals leg whilebeing handled or operated on. It follows that the invention well servesthe purposes for which it is intended. Accordingly, a more extendeddescription is believed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use by one man when castrating or otherwise operating on a pig,for example, a handling and holding device comprising, a one-pieceportable bracket constituting a support unit and adapted to be moved foruse from pen to pen at will, said bracket embodying a rigid elongatedsuspension arm capable of overhanging a selected operating area andhaving one end provided with means capable of ready attachment to andtemporary retention atop a fence rail on a selected pen, and meansmounted on the other end of said arm for restraining and holding thelegs of a pig with its body and head suspended in a balanced positionand manner to be castrated, branded or otherwise operated on, saidrestraining means comprising a second unit complemental to said supportunit, said second unit being readily attachable to and detachable fromsaid other end and having a pair of complemental cradling and shacklingfixtures, each of the fixtures including an elongate member havingoppositely opening hook portions provided on its ends and of a givensize and shape to suspend and detachably restrain a pig of apredetermined size.

2. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein theattachment means at said one end of said arm comprises an invertedU-shaped anchor embodying a pair 'of spaced companion legs joined attheir upper ends by a bight portion, and wherein said cradling andshackling fixtures are joined to and connected by a cleat, are in acommon plane and are disposed in side by side spaced parallelrelationship.

3. The device defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein saidcradling and shackling fixtures are disposed in spaced apart parallelrelation and are joined together in companion coplanar relationship by arigid intervening cleat-like plate, said plate being mounted on theaforementioned other end of said arm.

4. The device defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein saidcradling and shackling fixtures are disposed in spaced apart parallelrelation and are joined together in companion coplanar relationship by arigid intervening cleat-like plate, said arm when in use being inclineddownwardly toward said attaching means, and said plate beingsuperimposed upon and detachably and adjustably mounted atop theaforementioned other end of said arm.

5. A pig handling, suspending and holding device comprising a bracketunit characterized by a hanger arm having a U-shaped anchor at one endand an angularly slanting adapter at the other end, said adapter havinga bolt hole therein, a readily attachable and detachable restrainingunit comprising a pair of fixtures, each of the fixtures including anelongate member having oppositely opening hook portions provided on itsends, median portions of said fixtures being joined by a plate having abolt hole aligned with the bolt hole in said adapter, and a bolt passingremovably through said bolt holes and provided with an assembling andretaining nut.

6. The device defined in and according to claim 5, and wherein, the hookportions at the outer ends of the respective elongate members openingupwardly and providing arcuately bent portions, constituting thighseating and cradling stirrups, and the hook portions at the inner endsof said elongate members opening downwardy and providing over-the-legand holddown hooks, said hooks being spaced from and being substantiallyparallel with their respectively cooperable stirrups.

7. The device defined in and according to claim 6 and wherein theelongate member of each fixture is substantially straight fromend-to-end and has a major median portion thereof affixed to acooperating marginal edge of said plate in a manner to link and join thecoacting stirrup and hook together, the junctional portions betweenadjacent ends of the stirrups and straight portions embodying an archedbend, the respective bends of said fixtures being situated at aprescribed distance from a marginal edge of the plate and being toedinwardly toward each other to spread the pigs legs apart to assist incarrying out the necessary operating steps.

8. A pig suspending and holding device comprising a restraining unitembodying a pair of animal leg engaging fixtures, each fixture fashionedfrom a length of stout rigid rod having an elongated straight medianportion, an upwardly opening arcuately bent part disposed at right:angels to one end of said median portion and providing a thigh seatingand cradling stirrup, a downwardly opening bent portion at the other endspaced from and parallel to said stirrup and providing an over-the-legshackling and holddown hook, and a plate interposed between andintegrally joining the respective straight median portions of saidfixtures, and a hanger bracket adapted to support said restraining unit.

9. The pig suspending and holding device according to claim 8, andwherein said hanger bracket comprises a rigid hanger arm having aninverted U-shaped anchor at an inward end embodying a pair of spacedcompanion legs joined at their upper ends by a bight portion, and meansat its outer end for detachably and adjustably mounting said plate onsaid outer end.

10. For use by one man when castrating or otherwise operating on a pig,for example, a handling and holding device comprising, a one-pieceportable bracket consti-i tuting a support unit and adapted to be movedfor use from pen to pen at will, said bracket embodying a rigidelongated suspension arm capable of overhanging a selected operatingarea and having one end provided with means capable of ready attachmentto and temporary retention atop a fence rail on a selected pen, andmeans mounted on the other end of said arm for restraining and holdingthe legs of a pig with its body and head suspended in a balancedposition and manner to be castrated, branded or otherwise operated on,said restrain- 5 6 ing means comprising a second unit cornplemental tosaid References Cited support unit, said second unit being readilyattachable and UNITED STATES PATENTS detachable from said other end andhaving a pair of complemental cradling and shackling fixtures, eachfixture 2,664,857 1/ 1954 M11161" 119-103 made from a length of rod andembodying a substantially 5 2,914,026 11/1959 Greenwood 119103 straightmedian part bordering and aifixed to a coacting 3,138,141 6/1964 Poagemarginal portion of said plate, said rod having a laterally directedbend at one end providing a thigh seating and HUGH CHAMBLEE PnmaryExammer cradling stirrup, and likewise having a laterally directed U Sc1 XR bend at the other end fashioned into a lower leg shackling 10 119103 and holddown hook.

